Li Shun finished speaking, expecting Liu Ruoyan to scold him. He didn't realize that Liu Ruoyan no longer had that thought, her mind entirely focused on befriending Nangong Yi.
Liu Ruoyan looked at Li Shun and perfunctorily said, "Fine, if you say you won't trouble him, then you won't."
The three of them walked towards one of the martial arts stages and disappeared into the crowd.
Nangong Yi and Ye Bufan walked side by side. Ye Bufan watched Wu Cheng's respectful demeanor behind them, understanding more clearly that besides strength, influence and power were also crucial. Nangong Yi, as a high-level martial artist, or more accurately, a quasi-Martial Venerable, had a Martial Venerable put aside his pride to entertain him, all thanks to the Nangong family behind Nangong Yi.
The group arrived at the central martial arts arena. On the stage, two Martial Venerables were locked in a fierce battle, with a referee standing nearby.
Nangong Yi became engrossed watching the fight on stage. Turning his head, he noticed Ye Bufan seemed utterly disinterested.
"Ye Bufan, you don't seem interested in the fight on stage," Nangong Yi said. "The combat at the Martial Venerable level, their timing and overall rhythm, are valuable learning experiences for us."
"Yet, it's of no use," Ye Bufan replied. "No matter how much you watch and observe, without actual combat experience, you'll still end up being beaten. Your eyes can learn, but your body cannot. Their techniques and rhythms are unique to them. If you learn them, you'll only be constrained by them."
Nangong Yi found Ye Bufan's words quite reasonable.
"Then do you usually accumulate experience through combat?" Nangong Yi asked curiously.
Ye Bufan nodded. He had accumulated combat experience when Lin Xiaoyao was around. After Lin Xiaoyao left, Ye Bufan descended the mountain and hadn't encountered any masters who could make him unleash his full strength.
He recalled the days in the mountains when he was often beaten black and blue by Lin Xiaoyao, which was also the time Ye Bufan improved the fastest.
In his own world, Lin Xiaoyao had forged a path through the grind of life-and-death struggles. That experience was transformed into the beatings Lin Xiaoyao inflicted on Ye Bufan.
Seeing Ye Bufan nod, Nangong Yi felt a tingling sensation, a sudden urge to spar with Ye Bufan.
"Ye Bufan, I have a request," Nangong Yi said. "I want to challenge you."
"Huh?" Ye Bufan looked up at Nangong Yi, a little confused as to why he would suddenly want to challenge him.
"I, Nangong Yi, solemnly issue you a challenge. Since we are already at the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy's training grounds, we can fight right now," Nangong Yi declared. "When I face you, my heart becomes inexplicably restless, wanting to challenge you and fight you."
Ye Bufan glanced around and then said, "But this is during the martial arts tournament, there's no venue."
"Besides the outdoor arenas, the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy also has indoor arenas, though they are smaller than the outdoor ones," Nangong Yi said, his voice filled with excitement as he sensed Ye Bufan's tone.
Wu Cheng watched Nangong Yi and nodded with satisfaction, remarking, "Perhaps this is the mutual admiration of geniuses."
Wang Xinyan stood by and said, "Is it possible that Nangong Yi simply craves strength and wants to be beaten?"
Wu Cheng blinked at Wang Xinyan, finding her words a bit presumptuous. Then, he reconsidered, thinking that his young admirers' words often made sense.
Thus, with Wu Cheng's help, Ye Bufan and Nangong Yi found an indoor arena for their match.
Upon hearing that the helper of the Martial Venerable Provisional List had challenged a high-level martial artist from Jinhe, the disciples of the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy flocked to watch the match.
As the disciples gathered, curiosity grew about what was happening inside the indoor arena.
Rumors spread, and when some heard it was Nangong Yi, the top genius of Great Xia, even more interested people rushed to the indoor arena to watch.
"Nangong family, Nangong Yi."
On the training ground, Nangong Yi clasped his fists and bowed to Ye Bufan.
"Ye Bufan." Ye Bufan returned the salute.
Wu Cheng, acting as the referee for their match, briefed both fighters on the rules before announcing the start of the bout.
Nangong Yi twisted his neck, producing cracking sounds. Ye Bufan stood still, watching Nangong Yi.
"Hmph!" Nangong Yi suddenly moved, his entire body erupting with true qi. Ye Bufan immediately gauged his opponent's strength, realizing he was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through to the Martial Venerable realm.
"Crimson Emperor Fist, First Form, Fist Pounds the Rushing Stream!"
Nangong Yi let out a fierce cry and unleashed a punch, a whistling sound accompanying it as he hurled the fist towards Ye Bufan.
As the punch arrived, Ye Bufan vanished from his spot, reappearing behind Nangong Yi. Nangong Yi reacted quickly, flipping around and suddenly kicking towards Ye Bufan.
"Hah—"
The kick landed on Ye Bufan's foot. Ye Bufan smiled slightly, not using his full strength but suppressing his cultivation, channeling true qi to his toes, which emitted a faint purple glow.
With a "bang," Nangong Yi was sent flying backward.
Nangong Yi felt a sense of great pressure, surprised that Ye Bufan hadn't budged an inch.
"I'm going to get serious!" Nangong Yi called out to Ye Bufan.
"Come at me," Ye Bufan said calmly, standing his ground. Nangong Yi left an afterimage and appeared directly above Ye Bufan, a golden fist descending towards him.
"Fist Settles Mountains and Rivers!" Nangong Yi roared.
Ye Bufan remained unfazed and unleashed a palm strike towards the descending fist. Nangong Yi expected Ye Bufan to resist the punch but was surprised when Ye Bufan used the "Swallowing Palm." Having prepared himself to meet the palm strike, he was unexpectedly drawn downward.
With a loud "boom," the golden fist exploded on the martial arts stage, leaving a clear, fist-shaped indentation in the ground.
The entire stage was engulfed in dust, obscuring any view of what was happening within.
Wu Cheng, using his senses, detected only Nangong Yi within the dust; Ye Bufan had disappeared.
"He's up there!" someone outside the arena shouted.
Nangong Yi discovered Ye Bufan above him. He couldn't believe that even when he was exerting nearly his full strength, he hadn't touched Ye Bufan at all, and he began to feel anxious.
"Ye Bufan, I admit you are strong. Next, I will show you my true power!"
Nangong Yi began to gather his energy, his entire body radiating qi. Driven by the qi, dust began to swirl around Nangong Yi.
"Fist!" Nangong Yi roared, launching himself from the floor.
"Break!"
"Heaven!"
"Shock!"
Nangong Yi's internal energy and qi reached an unprecedented level. Wu Cheng was greatly alarmed, realizing that such power was only achievable by those at the Martial Venerable realm.
"Take this punch." Nangong Yi became one with his fist, his entire being resembling a fist. The surrounding dust formed a fist, appearing as if one fist was wrapped around another, hurtling towards Ye Bufan.